Faith by definition is the belief in what cannot be known. So yes, there have been doubts at many different times in my faith journey. I would say that anyone who has not doubted, has not deepened their faith and may have a shallow and fragile faith. In my personal experience, doubt and a questioning faith, over the years, have helped my faith grow.
There are times when different Faith traditions try to “protect against false teaching” by banning certain books or ideas. I find that difficult to understand or accept. Anyone who is a true seeker of the truth will have to face challenges and competing and contradictory ideas. God created us with the ability to reason and although I believe our reasoning is only capable of accessing a fraction of the mystery of God, it is honest and discerning reasoning working together with Faith, that leads us closer to God. When we have reached an impasse, when reason, by its very limited nature is unable to traverse, that’s when Faith comes in – “to touch the face” of what cannot be reasonably known.
I believe that religious teachings are the result of honest study by the many seekers of truth over the years, to provide an understanding of God. As such, they contain the wisdom of the ages and should not be dismissed lightly. However, it does not mean that they cannot be questioned and their underpinning reasons examined. The various teachings of different traditions help their adherents walk closer with God. God, I believe, has revealed himself to all traditions and different traditions have used different symbols and interpretations to explain their “truths.”
Problems arise when one or more traditions claim to be the true mouthpiece of God. I have been fortunate to grow up and live among many faith traditions. I have discovered that there is a common core to all religions that transcend all the different teachings. All the main traditions at their core, teach some form of the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”, or, “Do not do unto others what you do not wish done unto you.” No matter what the different traditions teach, Love and Compassion are at their core. Despite this core, there have been wars and mass killings done in the name of religion. This is because the tenets of different religions can be interpreted and used, purposely or inadvertently, to blindly lead the unthinking.
I’ll end by stating that I believe Faith is important. It helps you to fully know and examine yourself and to continually become a better person. It is both a communal and personal commitment and its very nature is revealed in your person. If you are becoming a more loving and compassionate person as a result of your Faith, it is doing what it was meant to do – bring you closer to Truth and God. If your Faith is causing you to harm or cause pain to others, you should certainly question teachings that are causing those actions. That is a first and good reason to have doubts about the teachings of your Faith.
Educhirp 